Thursday, April 23, 2015

Shotoku: Sinification and Buddhism

From
the troubles of succession and division about religion, Prince Shotoku emerged
as one of the famous regent during the time of ancient Japan. He contributed a
lot in changing the religious and administrative landscape of country.

Born
in the year 572, Shotoku Taisho or originally named Prince Umayado no Oji or
Toyosatomimi no Oji (only became known as Shotoku after his demise) was the
second son of Emperor Yomei, who reigned from 685 to 687. At a young age he
received education from a Korean Buddhist monk named Eji and from that point
on, he became a devout Buddhist. He read Buddhist scriptures and even wrote
commentaries. His devotion to Buddhism made him at odds with a faction in the
Imperial Yamato court led by Momonobe no Moriya. Momonobe clan disliked
Buddhism and saw it as a threat to Shintoism. Shotoku, however, found allies
with his relatives in the rising Soga Clan, led by Soga no Umako, who also
strongly supported Buddhism as well.

In
685, the Imperial court of Yamato went into a turbulent period. Emperor Bidatsu
passed away without leaving a clear heir. Succession became an issue because
primogeniture had not been well established. Rival faction fought for the
position of Emperor. Among them included the Momonobe Clan and the Soga Clan. Shotoku’s
father, became Emperor Yomei and reigned only for two years. Afterwhich,
another chaotic succession period followed. This time, the Soga Clan prevailed
by defeating the Momonobe Clan in battle. Soga no Umako then supported the
ascension of Emperor Sushun. The new Emperor, however, felt threatened by the
influence and power of Soga no Umako and wanted to vanquish him. But the Soga
moved first and had Emperor Sushun assassinated.

Soga
and Prince Shotoku then installed the widow of the late Emperor Bidatsu as
Empress Suiko, the first woman to become Empress. Suiko then proclaimed Shotoku
and Soga no Umako as her regent in 593. Shotoku became a prominent figure even
under the more powerful shadow of Soga no Umako.

Shotoku
made advancement during his regency. He contributed to the growth of Buddhism
in Japan. He also initiated new administrative system. Finally, he also
proceeded in Sinification of Yamato court.

As
a regent he promoted Buddhism and helped it to spread throughout the Yamato
domain. In 594, he made Buddhism the state religion, replacing Shintoism. He
also ordered the construction of Buddhist temples, like Shitenno-ji in Osaka
and Hoko-ji in Nara. Because of the Shotoku’s and the dominating Soga Clan,
number of Buddhist temples in Japan skyrocketed.

In
addition to his religious policies, Shotoku also began changes in the
administration system. In 604, he reformed the bureaucracy by changing
promotion and position from hereditary-based to merit-based, he began also the
system of classifying officials by the famous Twelve Ranks. Each rank had a
distinct color of a feather in their headdress and design in their purple silk
robes. The system had a lot of influence from the Sui China. The Twelve Ranks
were the following:

1. Greater Goodness/Virtue

2. Lesser Goodness/ Virtue

3. Greater Benevolence/Compassion

4. Lesser Benevolence/Compassion

5. Greater Propriety

6. Lesser Propriety

7. Greater Faith

8. Lesser Faith

9. Greater Justice/Righteousness

10. Lesser Justice/Righteousness

11. Greater Wisdom

12. Lesser Wisdom

The
names of the ranks came from virtues based in Confucianism and Sui China.

Besides
the Twelve Ranks, Shotoku has been said to have written the Seventeen
Injunctions or Article or Jushichijo No Kempo. In the seventeen article it
promoted harmony and peace. It also showed Shotoku’s preference towards
Buddhism by placing Buddha among the three treasures that needed to be
respected along with law and monks. It also showed deep respect to the will of
the Emperor. It also placed restrictions on officials about putting peasants in
labor. According to the Article, officials should not disturbed peasants during
agricultural season, which was from spring to autumn. A complete display of the
Confucian ideal of taking care of the peasants. Many contested that the
Seventeen article was a constitution. In a sense, the Seventeen Articles
actually provided more of an ethical guide rather than a true law. It was also
a matter of debate whether Shotoku even composed the Seventeen Articles. Some
argued that Shotoku had already passed away by the time the articles had been
written and that the author only dedicated it to the great regent.

In
the field of foreign relations, Shotoku enjoyed good relations with China and
kingdoms from Korea. During the reign of Empress Suiko, which also meant under
Shotoku’s regency, Korean Kingdoms, like Baekje and Koguryu sent missions to
Japan. These missions brought monks and scholars that brought ideas from the
mainland that Japan could use. It was also through this way that Korean
Buddhist monks arrived in Japan and contribute to the strengthening of the
religion in the country.

But
Shotoku had a special relation with China. For centuries China had been rattled
by division until it became united once more under the Sui Dynasty. It became a
model for other East Asian countries, Japan included. Shotoku sent missions to
Sui China and later its successor, Tang China, first in 600 and another in 607.
And from that point it became frequent and then traditional. Envoys sent by
Japan to China did not just served as to pay homage to the Emperor of the
Middle Kingdom, they served also the purpose of study groups. They gathered
text and ideas from China and bringing them back home to Japan for application.
Shotoku became open to this, and saw China as a model. And so, he used China as
a model in instituting the Twelve Rank System. Chinese Confucian principle
became apparent in the Seventeen Articles. And in 604, he adopted the Chinese
calendar in Japan.

Prince
Shotoku passed away in 622 in the Ikaruga Palace, many mourned his passing.
Shotoku made a marked in Japanese history for many reasons. One, he contributed
to the growth of Buddhism in Japan. Second, he expanded the Sinification of
Japan. Lastly, he provided a model of a statesman that inspired the Taika
Reform decades later after his death.